Samsara Break
by Vegeta the 3rd
Summary: Even when death occurs, life is preserved. Sometimes it is thrown in the reincarnation process, and sometimes it rests in a throne among heroes. The Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War draws near, and for seven spirits, they have a second chance. To rule. To serve. To find an heir. To live again. To start anew. To make amends. And to stop the madness.
1. Summoning of Demigods

Disclaimer: Title cover image was altered and used with permission by the original author, "*sandara", of the deviantart website.

* * *

"The Holy Grail War: a competition between seven Magi and their familiars. Each Master will command a different Servant class, called from the heroes of old themselves."

Risei Kotomine, an aging old priest in purple robes, turned to the young brown-haired man across from him. His back was to him, carefully examining a marked aria circle by his feet.

"Are you ready for the summoning, my son?"

Kirei nodded curtly, his actions betraying any lingering doubt he had. He knew the dangers that would follow in the war his father just explained. He played out any possibility that his life could end before the war's end, mostly towards paving the path of victory to his teacher.

Not that Kirei had any intention to die. Not until he would find _him._

He began the incantation for the summoning, memorized by heart a year prior, but unsuspecting on what fate had in store for him…

* * *

_Three spirits were amongst the last of their kind in a dying world. Three spirits that rivaled the might of gods themselves marked the end of an age. Three spirits clashed with one another, and no one was left standing in the end._

_Only the daughter of one such spirit lived on to tell the tale._

_She told of a legend far before the time of chaos, when an army of demigods banded together to quell the wrath of the world itself. Of how eight generals fought together leading the army with awe-inspiring charisma._

_She told of a betrayal that left her family dead and herself captive. How she was forced to use the life force of her very people to ensure the culmination of a well-intended goal having gone corrupt over the centuries._

_She told of the return of a vengeful demigod that fought demons and armies alike, intent on saving what he had lost. She told of an enlightened deity who hides his guilt and remorse behind a mask. She told of a golden spider that spun threads of lies and deceit, looking for a successor._

_She told of the battles that escalated through these three spirits._

_And she told the generations that followed after her of how her father lived._

* * *

Kirei Kotomine knew something was wrong. If he had been a more energetic man, he might have cursed or rationed out what could have gone wrong.

Yet he was an empty man, failing to find pleasure in whatever pursuit he devoted himself to. And while he didn't feel pleasure, he didn't feel remorse or anxiety either at his recent failure. He took the situation given to him in stride. At the very least, the black robed priest knew he needed to tell his master of the… mixed success of his summoning.

He found his master in his workshop downstairs, in his usual, rich looking attire: a red coat over a white dress shirt. He stood by a device powered by his jewels that functioned as an old styled fax machine. As it finished transcribing the letters, he used a long knife to cut the parchment.

As he started reading, Tokiomi Tohsaka turned and noticed his student in the room. "Ah, Kirei. I've just received news that one of the contestants, Lord El-Melloi, lost his catalyst. For a supposed Magus of the Association, his error in misplacing a catalyst is both a foolish and costly one. No doubt another lesser Magus will make use of it soon."

Kirei nodded in response. He still had concerns about when the other Masters will turn up, but his teacher and father both assured him that those that would come after the main representatives (three from the founding families and one from the Association) would be weak and likely to die early.

"You've successfully summoned Assassin, I assume?"

Kirei frowned a bit. "I summoned a Servant, yes, as per your instruction."

Tokiomi blinked. "You sound troubled. Did something happen?"

"I best show you to fully explain." The priest glanced over his shoulder at a spot in the room no one visibly stood. "You may reveal yourself now, Assassin."

_"As you wish."_

As the astral form of the Servant unraveled, Tokiomi expected a lesser-known version of the many named Hassan-i-Sabbah assassins. All the previous Grail Wars listed a certain incarnation of them as a guaranteed slot for Assassin. There was hardly anyone else suited as a hero who wouldn't be known other than the Old Man of the Mountain.

But what he saw wasn't like any Hassan he had read about.

He was about as tall as Kotomine, wearing a black styled gi with gold markings sewn over them. The top of his gi bore twin white scarfs near each shoulder. He wore partial metal braces on his arms and feet, offering protection without covering them. Even his fingers had golden markings on them, but whether they were real gold rings or painted gold, Tokiomi wasn't sure.

His black hair was tied in a bun, and grew a matching goatee on his chin, signifying middle age. What drew the most attention to Tokiomi was the golden pointed mask held around his ears and covering a majority of his face. Only the mouth was visible. This Assassin might have passed as a normal martial artist if not for the indention prints marked on his body, and even then Tokiomi had no clue what they meant.

Tokiomi suddenly noticed how quiet the room was since Assassin's appearance. The Servant was waiting on his Master's word still, and Kirei was waiting for his teacher for some word of thought or approval. He had concerns about this mystery Servant, but it would appear he would have to voice them.

"Well," the Tohsaka patriarch began. "Your Servant is definitely an anomaly. The class itself is a catalyst for summoning Hassan. You're sure you used his name in the summoning, and chanted the aria correctly?"

Kirei nodded, somewhat insulted. He was Tokiomi's prodigy in the art of magecraft, nearly mastering everything he had taught him. The only problem is that he found no joy or thrill in his studies… just like everything else.

Tokiomi sighed. "Well, regardless of the circumstances, he's still an Assassin. He is good at being covert, correct?"

"My parameters are suited towards direct combat with other Servants," Assassin answered before his Master could. "I have only enough skill in Presence Concealment to disappear at moments at a time."

"Like how?"

Before the Tohsaka magus could blink, the masked Servant flickered away. It was too fast to be simple astralization, and all that was left was slight debris of dust in the spot he once stood.

"Like so."

It didn't take much to surprise Tokiomi Tohsaka, but being nearly blind-sided by a Servant reminded him just how powerful they really were. As it was, he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stiffen just as he heard Assassin spoke behind him, and saw that Kirei's eyes widened so slightly at his daring demonstration.

"Impressive," Tokiomi smiled. Presence Concealment is a class skill linked to all Assassins, allowing them to hide and strike when the moment is right. Since their parameters were less than ideal against other Servants, their main tactic was to go against unsuspecting Masters and kill them, effectively depriving the Servant of their Prana source.

But this Assassin… while not being able to hide from other Masters or Servants, between this and his alleged fighting skills, he makes for a nice trump card. Perhaps there would be some use for him.

"Although I can't help but to be curious," he continued, turning slowly to face the Servant. "What is your true name?"

If there was any discomfort on Assassin's part, only a quirk of his lip showed it. "I am not sure if it's wise to share that information to you," he answered before folding his arms.

"Why do you say that?" The Tohsaka Magus asked, deciding to humor the Servant.

"By nature of the war, any other Master chosen for the war is an enemy to my Master. Even if we are to work an alliance, you would most likely use the information on my true name to dispose of me and my Master at the end. You are not the only one who is fighting here for a wish in mind, Tohsaka."

Tokiomi frowned at his reluctance, seeing another glaring difference in this abnormal Servant. The Hassan Assassins were all steadfast loyal to their Masters, and this one showed hesitation. If it were aware of their cooperation between the Church and Kotomine family, then the Assassin would have devoted himself to their noble cause. In fact, based on first impressions alone, this Servant seemed to possess some code of _chivalry_that is usually limited to the three Knight classes. So why refuse?

Sensing his teacher's annoyance, Kirei stepped forward to address his Servant. "You are free to share your name, Assassin," he said. "We are partners with Master Tohsaka, to ensure he is victor of the Holy Grail War. Any information on your strengths, weaknesses and identity would be just as much helpful for him to learn as it would for me."

"Is that what you want, Master?" asked Assassin.

"The Fuyuki Holy Grail wouldn't have chosen him as a Master if he didn't," Tokiomi answered. "But since he is unaware of his own desire, it could only mean he is to help the Tohsaka family claim the Grail, as it should be."

"Yes," Assassin nodded, before asking again. "But is it what my Master _wants_?"

The Holy Grail War, otherwise known as Heaven's Feel, used to be a collaborated effort between three magi families: the Tohsaka, the Makiri, and the Einzbern. Somewhere along the years of failed wars caused stigma and distance between them, to the point the latter two families forgot the entire point of the ritual, and were fixated in the wrong goal: instead of reaching the Root of the world, they're concerned on granting their selfish desires.

The winner of the war was said to be granted a wish, which would be the main deciding factor in determining a magus for the war. Seven Magi would be marked with Command Seals, much like the ones on Tokiomi and Kirei's own hands, which is the bounding contract of whichever Servant they were to call.

Tokiomi was a firm ally with the Church, meant to serve as a neutral party to the war's events. Risei Kotomine strongly believed the power of the Grail was too great to be left in the hands of the other contestants, yet alone the Makiri or Einzbern families, and if he had a say in the matter, he would make sure the Tohsaka patriarch was granted with the grail. As it stands, they formed an alliance (technically an illegal one) to better his chances, and it seemed to be of God's own blessing to give Kirei, once a grieving widower, the means to fight alongside him.

To hear Assassin's slight accusation and questioning on Kirei's real desire left both Magi uncomfortable.

"I… must act on the wishes of my father and Master Tohsaka," Kirei answered with only a slight hint of reluctance. It was true he felt obliged to help them, but he chose to ignore the nagging feeling that they _expected_ him to.

He also had a feeling, from Assassin's slight lowering of his head, that he knew that as well.

Tokiomi smiled, not aware of the silent tension between Master and Servant. "There you have it. Kirei is my esteemed student and will do his part to ensure my victory. I wouldn't even see myself fighting him if the chance were to arise."

Assassin still didn't look convinced. "No harm shall come to my Master if you two are the remaining ones?"

"You have my word, on my pride as a Magus," Tohsaka bowed.

A tense silence passed between the three of them, with neither magus aware of Assassin's thoughts. The mask did wonders in hiding his facial expressions, and made him seem like a menacing messenger of death. Given his class title, that might be the intention…

He gave a final glance to Kirei, asking both for his permission and if he was truly satisfied with this. The priest nodded once, more towards the former than the latter.

"Very well," Assassin relented. "My legend comes from a world known as Gaea, during a time where it suffered of corruption by both the greed of Gods and the wrath of the very planet. I was among one of the Eight God Generals that fought the planet's corruption, and later one of the Seven Deities that kept the peace of the world while harvesting power to save it.

"In your world, my name takes the term of a benevolent nature spirit or temple guardian, depending on the origin. Your culture, however, has normally seen my name as a violent demon comparable to Rakshasa devils. That is, before Buddhism gave both names favorable interpretations as the defenders of their laws. The name of those original Buddhist spirits is Yaksha, but the name for the Japanese spirits, as well as my own, is Yasha."

Tokiomi blinked. A spirit as a Servant…? No, he called himself a "God General" and "Deity" in the Gaea world. Unless they were groups that made those names to assert power and ego. Given his demonstration of speed, there _might _be some justification on that. He turned to gauge his student's reaction and noticed he was still stoic as since he entered the room. Perhaps the loss of his wife troubled him more than either he or Risei took account for, if being the Master of a non-Hassan Assassin couldn't surprise him.

"Yasha…" Tokiomi repeated the name slowly, as if verbally testing it to be worth merit. "What kind of Servant are you?"

Assassin Yasha stared straight to the Tohsaka magus, uttering one word that almost unnerved him.

"God."

* * *

(A few months later)

Two men were standing across from one another in a dimly green-lit basement. An old, sinister looking man wore a dark yellow-green haori with a cane. He was examining a patterned circle on the ground before turning and speaking to the other man in a purple jacket.

"I must say, I'm impressed Kariya. This whole year you stuck to your word and managed to harness just enough power to be called a proper Magus. You may just yet be the one to win the grail for the Matou family."

Kariya Matou never thought he would live the day he heard those words, let alone to receive praise, as condescending as it was, about his progress in Magecraft. Any other magus would strive to push and excel pass what their parents and ancestors did before them, just to make a name of themselves. To be a magus, to discover the greatest alluding goals of all Magecraft, such as eternal life or the root of the world, is a dream to many.

Not to Kariya. He personally would have cared less about the magi world and stayed away from it like he had for years. He only came back for one reason and one reason only: to save Sakura from the Matou "lineage".

His "uncle" (Grandfather in all its disgusting reality) Zouken wasn't finished yet in his analysis. "Of course, you might have done better if you weren't such a failure. As it stands, that body of yours will give out within the month, and that's being generous."

Kariya gave an ironic smile, twitched up on only one side of his face. Since he planned to win the upcoming war for Zouken to win Sakura's freedom, he had to go through a crash course of Magecraft as well as an emergency transplant of the family crest. The problem is the crest was a living embodiment of worm familiars that ate the host body from within and transformed that into Prana. Already half of his body was paralyzed and he could feel several worms pulse under his skin looking for more food. It was a constant pain ranging from throbbing to excruciating.

He didn't like how he looked either; he was one a normal brown haired adult photographer who could pass of as a guy who can make any woman happy to be his wife (except one). Now his hair was ghostly white and he was going blind in one of his left eye, the same side that now sported the paralyzed half of limbs. He would have to wear a jacket with the hood up just to hide his scary, killer-like appearance. There was no question about it. He was going to die very soon, regardless of whether he would win or lose the war.

But Kariya knew that. He knew he was signing his life away the moment he walked back to the Matou manor. Because he couldn't live with himself knowing a little girl would spend one more year in this gargoyle's clutches.

"That's plenty of time," he said, staring at the red, jagged tattoo on his hand. "I'll win your grail and Sakura goes free. You better hold to your end of the deal."

"Just make sure you win, my worthless grandson," Zouken reminded. "And before I forget, take this."

Kariya accepted the slip of paper handed to him. "What is it?"

"The extended lyrics to your summoning aria. I've put a lot of thought into your situation, Kariya, and even with your training, you're still under par to most other magi." Zouken's dark smile grew a grin. "There's only one Servant that you can use to hope to stand a chance."

The message was clear to Kariya: the lyrics themselves imply to give up sanity for strength, as he read them over. They were to implant Madness Enhancement on the servant summoned and pick arguably the strongest and most dangerous Servant of them all: Berserker.

Any other magus, unless they were so pompous of themselves or some kind of masochist, would avoid this class as it would constantly drain their Prana reserves to fuel Berserker's power. But Kariya was a dead man walking, so why not go all the way? The stronger the Servant was, the better his chances at saving Sakura.

"I'm feeling rather generous today," Zouken smiled. "I had one catalyst planned, but I figured you're a big boy and can choose from a few other relics I've collected, to pick the ideal Berserker."

He spread his arms out to the assortment of artifacts in front on him, arranged next to one another. In the center was a lone sliver of wood, just small enough to fit in Kairya's (working) palm. The one to the right was a dusty old hand mirror, having an old, foreign design that held the reflective piece in. The furthest left relic resembled a 3 foot tall demon statue with six arms and three faces melded close together. The material would fool anyone into thinking it was gold if not for the ages-old rust along the base and sides.

"This splinter might seem unworthy of note, but it was once part of the Round Table of the Arthurian Legend." Zouken let out a dark chuckle. "I've heard that the Einzberns spent several years looking for a catalyst to summon King Arthur, so having one of his knights as an enemy would work wonders on his morale. I highly recommend this as your summoning catalyst, but again, it is your choice.

"The mirror is something I was saving for the following war, as a precaution. It is linked to a certain snake-haired gorgon of Greek times, lesser known as the true rider of the Pegasus. It was meant to be for the next Matou heir, which would be Sakura's child. That is, if you fail to win this one."

Kariya just glared at the chuckling man before turning his attention to the left-most relic. "And the last one?"

"A statue from the Age of Gods back when divine beings were worshiped and of common occurrence. This one was made to revere, or rather demonize, a certain heretic demigod. Or so the legend goes."

"Looks more like an asura to me." Kariya was faintly familiar with mythology, as magi tend to go deep in all kinds of stories to look for traces of magic and identities of Servants. Just another part of his crash-course training; reading books and stories of all kinds while the crest "adjusted" itself to his body.

Knowledge of another Servant's true name in a fight would be imperative to know their strengths and weaknesses, like Achilles' heel (both figurative and the real thing). He read about asura and devas of Buddhism, but never read any of them having a famous name of sorts.

"If there's one thing you should know about Heroic Spirits," said Zouken. "It's that they are always up to interpretation. What may be true in the stories might be altered from the original tale."

Taking his grandfather's words to (grudging) consideration, he looked between the three relics again. A knight, a gorgon, or a demigod? He could only guess what knight from Arthurian Legend he would get, and gorgons were known for petrifying people they would see. The demigod was a true wild card, as he wouldn't know who it would be until the summoning was made… granted if it worked with him.

But then he thought back to Sakura, and the man who caused all this, he wanted someone strong enough to make the man bleed and pay and even take down whatever Servant he'll call on. And given his connections and power, he might very well get a servant so powerful and famous that a knight or gorgon would have no chance against.

A demigod, however, might stand a chance against everything thrown at him. Especially as a Berserker.

"I'll use the statue."

Zouken chuckled at his "nephew's" decision. "There're no take backs, now."

Kariya ignored him, walking over to the relic of his choice. Or rather, he was dragging himself across, because his left leg was stiff as stone. Grabbing the statue with his good hand, he limped again to the summoning circle behind Zouken. It looked intrinsic to any non-magi, but it was actually a simple aria circle, made to set an anchor and offering for the catalyst.

The real magic came from the Grail itself bringing a Servant to the world of the living. After that, it was up to the master to supply Prana and keep the body stable. If Kariya was a true magus, he probably would have cared more about how this grail worked and maybe even see how it worked.

Pushing such thoughts aside, he planted the relic at the center and dragged himself at the edge of the circle. Now for the part that will suck…

Gritting his teeth, Kariya channeled the stored Prana in his crest worms, agitating them to move and eat more of his body. As the Prana expelled itself from his hand, the summoning glyph started to shake and glow. He tried to ignore the pain as he recited the words, including the add-ons Zouken just gave to him.

_"Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer me!_

_"I hereby swear, That I shall be all the good in the world, and that I shall defeat all the evil in the world._

_"But let thine eyes be clouded with chaos. Thou, who art trapped in a cage of madness. And I, who doth hold thy chains!_

_"You seven heavens, shrouded by the three great words of power, come forth from the circle of inhabitation- Guardian of the Scales!"_

The glyph circle exploded in a flash of white, blinding both magi in its brilliance. Kariya was easily blown back off his feet, clutching his body in pain again. It always hurt to do Magecraft, and he resolved throughout the war he would keep himself safe, hidden, and at a distance while his Servant would fight. Typical magi behavior, but he couldn't bare or stand to fight other magi when he was practically on life support.

The light started to fade and Kariya gathered his wits about him to see his summoned Servant. He suddenly felt awe at his presence.

The Servant towered over both magi, glaring at them with glowing white eyes and crossed golden-covered arms. He wore black pants with red stitched patterns and a golden cloth tied by his hips, fluttering in the wind of his summoning. His feet were also covered in gold, but allowed his toes and heels to be seen. His body resembled a rust red-brown tone with intricate tattoo lines… or etched markings, all over his exposed, muscular upper body. His hair was as white as his eyes and Kariya's hair, and both were unnaturally disturbing to the magus.

He glanced between both of them in contempt. "So," the Servant spoke in an annoyed and slightly agitated tone. "Which one of you is my Master?"

Zouken directed his bemused gaze at Kariya, who nervously raised his hand. "I-I am."

The Berserker Servant titled his head, as if gauging his worth. He glanced between Kariya and Zouken again, narrowing his eyes slightly when he gazed at the older magus, who glared back in kind.

"Very well," Berserker said to Kariya finally. "Our contract is set."

The next thing Kariya knew, his Servant blasted out of his summoning circle with super-human speed and punched nearly half of Zouken's head clear off. His face froze in a sort of mute shock just before the attack connected and collapsed in a heap. The piece of flesh, flown off at a considerable distance from the owner, dissolved into several worms rolling helplessly on the ground.

Kariya couldn't believe it. At the one hand a part of him was elevated with joy to see his monster of an uncle nearly killed, but he knew it was just an illusion. If Zouken could have been so easily killed, it would have happened a long time ago.

"What have you done?!" he cried in horror, staring at the Servant with shocked and terrified eyes.

"He didn't feel right," Berserker grunted as he flicked his hand. "It was like staring at a Gohma, and I didn't want to take any chances."

"**Then you should have been more thorough.**"

Kariya paled further as he saw Zouken's body dispersed into a swarm of worms, towering over the rebellious Servant. Berserker's reaction at the sight was just a scowl to the point of showing his barred teeth.

"Uraaaa-DA!" Berserker jabbed the air with his arms in rapid succession, firing out red bursts of energy from each jab. The towering worm entity stayed for the most part, though huge chunks of worms were being peeled apart by the Servant's barrage.

Zouken knew he couldn't last long against a Servant of any kind, and although he could recover in time, it would be troublesome to do so during the Holy Grail War. "**Call your Servant off, Kariya,**" his dismembered voice ordered. "**Or I can't guarantee the safety of Sakura.**"

Kariya's horrors were seemingly realized at that moment. He scrambled to get up to a crawl and hurried over to the white-haired fighter's leg. "Stop!" he yanked his leg pathetically. "Stop, please! You can't kill him! He promised he would help Sakura if you would fight for me! You need to kill the other six Servants! Not him!"

Berserker glared angrily at his Master, very much tempted to smack him away for breaking his concentration.

"Please," Kariya begged again, tears mixed with blood pouring out of his eyes. "If he dies then he'll just kill someone else to keep living. If that happens then Sakura…"

Somehow, he knew he was getting through to the Servant. It might have been from the softening of his facial features or the distant look in his white eyes. He made one last acknowledgement to the swarm of worms and lowered his arms.

"Dammit," he growled.

Zouken chose this moment to reform as a human, glaring with contempt at them. "You barely have the means to control him _without_ Madness Enhancement and already almost killed me. I suppose I should be glad you didn't waste a Command Spell so early, but this insubordination better not happen again: consciously or otherwise."

He had no intention of endangering the future heir of the Matou family, but since his worthless nephew had a soft spot for her, it was an easy bluff to make. Just as it was humoring him to think he can win the grail for him in this war. He did take to account of the fact should he gather the wits to try and kill him instead of follow through his deal, but he knew that Kariya was a blind, idealist fool who would follow through his deal.

He didn't count on this Berserker to attack him on a whim moments after being summoned, but he'll be sure to keep an eye on him, as well as his worthless nephew, from now on.

Zouken started walking out of the basement, leaving the two behind. "Remember Kariya: Sakura will return to her family only when you win the Grail. That is what we agreed on."

The Magus and Servant glared at him as he let out one last chuckle.

* * *

Sometime later, Kariya was awkwardly supported by Berserker with his paralyzed arm over his shoulder. They had hoped for a silent retreat out of the Matou household, but ended up trading commands and apologies constantly as they bumped into walls and furniture.

"Ow! Watch it!"

"Sorry, but you're too slow."

"It's like a three-legged race! Just coordinate! One, two, one, two-"

"I could just carry you, you know."

"Not through the door-Ow! Again with the wall?"

"I'm not use to this, okay?!"

"Uncle Kariya?"

Both Master and Servant stopped their bickering and turned to see a young, purple haired girl in matching pajamas. Her eyes, while blank and depressingly expressionless, gave way to slight shock. To Kariya's quick relief, it was at his disorienting change of appearance and not the Berserker holding him. He'd rather not have this girl (who he thought of as a niece) think of him "swinging the other way".

"Oh, hey Sakura," Kariya waved as he slid away from the red-skinned spirit. "Did we wake you up?"

"I heard a loud noise downstairs," Sakura answered, still staring. "What happened to your face?"

Kariya smiled to ease her worries, making good-natured jokes. "Ah, well, let's just say I'm not a very good ant farm. A little girl like you may very well be stronger than me though, how embarrassing."

Berserker turned to his master, trying to laugh the pain away. Earlier he saw him as a bitter, desperate man trying to appease his wrath, and now he saw a girl that pretty much disarmed him. She was like-

"You've changed, Uncle."

Just that comment startled both Master and Servant. The girl was still looking at them with a vacant, somewhat dead stare. It implied something deeper, and everyone in the room knew it.

Sakura then turned to the hulking man beside him. "You're a familiar, aren't you?"

Berserker blinked uneasily at her. "S-sort of."

Now it was Kariya's turn to be surprised. For a supposed heroic spirit filling in for the Servant of Madness, he was quite flustered around a little girl. If only he got to see her when she was lively…

"Grandfather told me I didn't have to go to the bug room tonight, and that I could sleep early," she said, not noting the odd looks on either man's face. "He said a more important ritual would take place."

"That's right," Kariya nodded. "I just got back from it, summoning Berserker here."

Berserker blinked but said nothing.

"Ber-ser-ker?" Sakura tilted her head slightly, spelling the long word. She stared at the Servant for a moment longer before turning to Kariya. "Does… that mean you're leaving?"

"I'm afraid so. I got something important to do for a while and I can't afford to visit again."

"I see," she looked down, rubbing her tired eyes slightly. Berserker could clearly see she thought fondly of his master, if she was slightly upset with him leaving.

"Don't worry," said the Servant. "As long as I'm here, your uncle will be safe."

Sakura gauged him slightly. "Are you strong, Berserker?"

"Definitely," the adult Magus said as his servant nodded. "And maybe, when my job's offer, we can have like we use to: you, me, and your mother and sister."

"I don't have a mother or sister anymore. Grandfather said I should think they never existed in my life."

A small bit of hope in Kariya died inside him. Sakura sounded just as stoic as she had been since entering the Matou family, and was drilled to thinking her old life was gone. She sounded so resigned and passive, probably from another "training" session Zouken thrown her into.

Berserker was equally appalled, if not more. He had just met Sakura and already the questions were reeling in his head from this discussion. She was adopted? Was she always this sad? And by Naraka who, just _who,_ put her in this situation in the first place?

The tense moment passed as Kariya slowly dragged over to Sakura, knelt to her height and hugged her. "Uncle?"

"In that case, then let's take Ms. Aoi and Rin from the Tohsakas, and go somewhere away together. Far away from here, so we can all play like we used to."

"Play games like we used to…?" Sakura repeated, sounding a bit hopeful.

"Of course you will, I promise."

Berserker watched them hug in silence, feeling worry and sympathy for the girl. She might be putting a brave, impassive face now, but she was suffering, even now. It had possibly gotten to the point that she had no energy to even cry. The very thought of that made him angry, but she needed support.

Awkwardly, he tried patting her hair only to end up poking her. Both Sakura and Kariya looked back at him confused, and making the Servant nervous. Now he felt like he needed to say something.

"My wife once told me… I'm strongest when I'm fighting for what's right," the servant said slowly. "And what I feel is right… is to make sure anyone, especially young girls, shouldn't cry."

Sakura looked surprised by this, if the slight gasp and widening of eyes was any indication.

"So… don't cry. Smile. Everything will get better."

Sakura stared a moment longer at him, nodding slightly. Kariya smiled in thanks to his Servant before reluctantly breaking away from the hug. "Well, it's time to get going. Let's go, Berserker."

Berserker nodded, supporting his shoulder again as they walked out.

"Bye-bye, Uncle Kariya, Uncle Berserker."

The two adults smiled and waved back, though only the Servant gave the verbal reply of "bye-bye". If anything, the Servant had a mix of shock and happiness on his face being called "uncle".

When the two of them were several blocks away from the Matou manor, Berserker spoke up once the entire walk.

"You're going to tell me _everything._"

It was not a request, but a simple demand that seethed with a rage of some kind. The bumbling, awkward man talking with Sakura was gone and the Mad Servant was back in his place. And just from the tone of his voice, it implied he was mad at the cause of Sakura's sadness, as subdued and mysterious as it was.

Kariya almost had no obligation to tell his Servant his problems if all he needed to do was defeat six others. There was no telling what his personality or possible affinity would be either if called through a catalyst. But in the short time since he summoned Berserker he felt a kinship of understanding. It was further supported by his kind behavior and incredulous concern for Sakura that emulated levels similar to a protective father.

So he nodded, and resolved to comply to his demand as soon as they found shelter.

* * *

A/N: ANOTHER new story by me? I guess I've been on a muse of anything related to Type Moon's Fate series, especially in looking at potential crossovers.

This one has been on my mind for quite a while now since the recent boon of "change servants with media characters" fad going around for a year or so. Fate/Inertia Dawn had done it first but Fate/Zero Sense, as much as it's either like it or hate it, pretty much coined it. But as fun as it looked, I wanted something different than changing up nearly an entire roaster of Servants with one's favorite cartoon/comic/anime/tv/ect. characters and saying that the Grail was THAT bored. IMO, one can only go so far changing up servants to set a whole new war, but I wanted to see a REAL change in canon instead of follow it with a few liberties. We come here to read and write fanfiction for divergence after all, right?

So after a bit of brainstorming with "The Infamous Man" himself, I came up with this. I actually wanted to try a full roaster change too (including Saber), but when I realized I wanted Asura summoned in the fourth war, I figure he would dominate the story. Considering who else is also summoned for the war, I figured it would be best to play this as a singular crossover that way, while mixing the history a bit.

I see this as a shorter project compared to my other fanfics as I plan to end within 20 chapters at most: about as long as either Fate/Zero or Asura's Wrath's episode count. As it is, I most likely won't be updating it as often as my other stories. I knew that I wanted to get it out first, so, here it is. Hope you all look forward to later updates.

-Vegeta the 3rd

EDIT: I'm proof that some writers can't do science because gold can't rust. Thanks "babaga he who laughs at anime" for the check.


	2. The Failed First Strike

Disclaimer: Title cover image was altered and used with permission by the original author, "*sandara", of the deviantart website.

* * *

Chapter 2: The Failed First Strike

Tokiomi Tohsaka had been worried about his potential summoning ever since he first met Assassin. The partnership between them was shaky at best because he still steadfast loyal to Kirei alone and seemed determined to win himself. Tokiomi had discussed at length with Risei that the grail might have malfunctioned since the aftermath of the previous war. In doing so, it took away the requirement of the Assassin class and through Second Magic, allowed Servants from other worlds to fill in. There was very much a possibility that the same thing could happen to him and calling on his preferred Servant, and he didn't take any chances. He personally inspected his circle, practiced his aria over and over, made sure the time on his clocks were accurate, and even had both Kotomine priests come to check what he would miss.

So when he successfully managed to summon the King of Heroes himself, he felt relaxed and achieved. True, he wasn't expecting Gilgamesh to be an Archer class, but it was a minor inconvenience in the long run.

Tokiomi had gathered everyone to his dining hall for equal parts celebration and planning. He sat next to Risei while Assassin and Kirei were respectively across from them. On his leisure, Archer sat at the head table. Since he once ruled as a King and thought VERY highly of himself, Tokiomi made sure to do anything in his power to please him and assure he would be treated as such. It would seem to be a reversal to the usual dominant control of Master of his Servant, but that was only on the surface and something that required a very delicate touch.

"Your mansion seems to be of high class, Tokiomi. It is almost worthy of my presence," the blond haired Servant noted. He wore a full set of heavy, golden armor with black lines, black leather and a red coat tail reaching to his ankles. Only his head was visible, though his regal appearance and… _demeanor,_ strongly implied not to make direct eye contact.

As such, Tokiomi simply bowed from his seat. "You're praise is most appreciated, my king."

Risei smiled with him, feeling just as elevated as Tokiomi over an assured victory. Kirei and Assassin, however, remained stoic with their faces locked gazing forward from their seats.

"Indeed," the Archer continued, helping himself to the wine glass offered. "It is one of the very few things that interest me of this era. It is almost a shame I can't find all of my treasures."

Assassin's face turned slightly to the gold armored man. One would guess he quirked an eyebrow under his mask. "_Your_ treasures?"

Archer scowled. "Yes, _my treasures_. Everything in this world has once belonged to me. Not just the Noble Phantasm weapons that have made other pretenders 'famous', but the greatest of relics and items and monuments. Anything of value that was ever conceived was mine, for I was the first king."

Assassin stared blankly a few moments longer before speaking again. "Your true name is Gilgamesh, correct?"

The three mortal humans tensed as the identified Archer sneered. His hand was now visibly tense holding the glass in his hand. "Was it not clear when I called myself the first king, _Demigod?_"

"That's just it: how can you be the first king when you were historically remembered as Uruk's _fifth_ king?"

The drinking glass' neck shattered in Archer's fist, causing the rest to spill over. The Servant's face was now staring intently at his "colleague", much to the worry of the three humans present.

"Assassin!" Risei scolded.

"Kirei!" Tokiomi added. "Control your Servant!"

But Assassin continued before Kirei could stop him. "Dumuzid the Fisherman. Lugalbanda. Enmerkar. Mesh-ki-ang-gasher. All these men preceded you in ruling Uruk for centuries, and have their own stories to tell; Lugalbanda especially, as he was your father. They're not as recognized as "The Epic of Gilgamesh", but their deeds still transcend normal human understanding, and would have ascended as Heroic Spirits as well."

To his credit, Archer didn't see need to kill Assassin… yet. "And you bring this up for what purpose, Demigod? None of them are here in this war: I am. And my power far exceeds those of any Uruk ruler that ever was."

"I'm merely questioning why you would assert yourself as being the first king. I don't doubt you claiming for any other title to assert yourself, but it makes no sense to be called the first king of anything, let alone Uruk."

Archer continued to stare at Assassin with a leveled gaze. The three humans watching this argument were feeling squeamish at the prospect of a fight breaking out. Tokiomi was glancing between the two servants and the command spells on his hand; unless things got out of hand, he might have to force Archer to cooperate at the risk of angering him. Risei was having similar concerns, wondering if the Grail might not be won because of two headstrong Servants. Kirei simply watched, wondering how different this conversation would go if he had summoned Hassan as intended.

Then, to the surprise of everyone in the room, Archer laughed. It was a haughty tone, fitting a king being amused by a jester. "Hahahahahaha! Yes, I see! So this is the Servant that you've summoned, Kirei. I'm mildly impressed."

Kirei wasn't exactly sure why he was being praised by Gilgamesh, but to avoid angering him or his master any further, he accepted it. "Thank you, Archer."

Archer smirked at the priest-magus before turning back to the other Servant. "Know this, Demigod: you're only alive tonight because your Master has perked my interest. The fact that you were summoned to best suit his personality instead of a usual Hassan is all the more amusing."

"What do you mean?" Assassin asked.

"Let's just say… your life isn't the only one with Melancholy."

For Tokiomi and Risei, they were both impressed by Archer's deduction and sympathetic for Kirei. The poor man lost his wife tragically young, but had seemed to come to terms with coping over the years. Part of their amazement was that he was decided as a Master for the Grail War shortly after the incident, and seeing it as good will by the Grail itself, they took it as a chance to have him fight for Tokiomi's victory.

Kirei and Assassin, on the other hand, were startled. Kirei couldn't remember the last time he felt any joy, despite the amount of studies he poured himself in. Assassin saw more tragedy in his life than he had preferred, unable to do anything to change it for thousands of years. The duo was slightly unnerved yet relieved of the fact they weren't the only ones with their particular struggles.

Sensing that tensions were normal now, Tokiomi cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention. "Your highness. Assassin. I understand this alliance is less than cordial for you both, but I'd appreciate it if you both put aside your grievances for now. We must discuss our opening strategy…"

* * *

The Servant once known as Asura the Destructor was mad.

More accurately, he was downright pissed, and was struggling to keep his anger in check just to not destroy the alleyway around them, let alone the first Servant he would come across. His Master lacked a suitable base, let alone a place to sleep. So he had to make do with their current position, using some boxes and trash to sleep by, an oil tank for light, and hope no one noticed him. Asura had been a bit of a wandering hermit himself ever since he lost his status as God General, so he can't really complain on his Master's actions.

He had a lot of things he outright hated. The Gohma, first and foremost, were up there, being nothing but monsters that prey on the defenseless people of Gaea for centuries and would come back like cockroaches, no matter how many he killed. He hated the so called "Seven Deities" for specific reasons: Wyzen for goading him about his daughter "helping" them, Sergei for killing his wife, Yasha who chose "The Cause" over family, and as a collective whole he hated them for betraying him, letting the chaos of Gohma run wild for centuries while picking and harvesting the mantra of people that died.

But nothing compared to his hatred to the source of it all, the Golden Spider. Until tonight, that is.

"It's no secret to magi what the Matou magecraft does," Kariya explained. "Being an heir for it is the worst possible thing to happen, and I had hoped the family would die out with no successor. That's why I left for ten years."

"What does he do?" he demanded.

Kariya lifted his arm and gave a finger gesture as to wait. His body started to spasm and his cheeks puffed out. The next thing Asura knew, the man hunched over and hurled.

He didn't think it was intentional even when he saw the blood and several worms flapping around. Not at first, anyway. Admittedly, Asura was never the smartest Demigod of the group (a fact Yasha and the others constantly reminded him of, no less) but he saw the same things when he took a punch out of Zouken, and put two and two together.

The sickly magus took a moment to compose himself from his coughing fit before directing Asura's attention below. "These _things_ are part of the Matou crest, and he's been putting them in Sakura for a year now."

Asura's glare intensified, almost tempted to stomp on the rolling vermin. "You should have let me kill that bastard when I had that chance."

"Believe me, I hate Zouken just like you do, but you saw what happened. His body isn't human anymore. His whole purpose in living is to try and win the grail for himself and wish true immortality." Kariya's face softened. "That's why he keeps making heirs with that bloody crest. That's why he took Sakura."

"She's not really your niece?"

Kariya shook his head. "Her family name was once Tohsaka, but for some reason, that bastard of a father just gave her away. The Tohsaka especially should know of the Matou magecraft secrets, since we're of the so called "founding families" next to the Einzberns. He just… abandoned her."

Abandon… his own daughter? The Servant turned away, unable to even fathom such a thought. Even when Yasha abandoned him and his family, he at least had a guilty conscience of what happened. "What kind of father abandons his daughter?"

"Tokiomi Tohsaka," Kariya answered. "One of the other six Masters of this war."

The fallen Demigod didn't miss the slight edge in Kariya's voice, and understood the implication. "...I'll see to it his Servant is the first to fall."

First thing he wanted to do was to find where Tohsaka lived. He recalled Kariya mentioning it before in crossing, and how he wanted to avoid going anywhere near that place.

"W-wait, Berserker!" Kariya called. "You can't just rush off at Tokiomi! He's holed off in that mansion full of bounded fields and sensors! By the time you get there, his Servant will have the jump on you!"

"There hasn't been a situation in my life where I got through the so called 'best laid plans'," the Servant huffed. "I'll just keep punching through until I reach my target. Simple as that."

Just before he dematerialized, he stopped and looked behind his shoulders. "There's just one thing we need to be clear on."

"Eh?"

"I wasn't summoned as Berserker. I was summoned as Avenger."

* * *

After the meeting, Kirei kept himself scarce and away from Tohsaka Manor. The other magi would be suspecting of their alliance together because of his apprenticeship under Tokiomi, which was admittedly their biggest hurdle. The fighting wasn't to officially start until all seven Servants were summoned, so he had to wait before making his first move. It had been days since then.

Tonight, the waiting was over, and he stood by a highway looking over the city for his first strike.

He was silently watching from his vantage point until sensing his Servant's spirit return. "My father has contacted me," he spoke, still looking ahead. "The last Servant, Caster, has been summoned earlier today."

Assassin, now materialized, walked up beside his master to gauge the intended target. "So our plan begins tonight?"

"We've waited long enough as it is," Kirei answered. "As we speak, the other Masters are sending their familiars out to spy on their competition."

"But is this the best way? Do you have no other plan of your own?"

"My role in this war is to help my teacher. I have no desire for the grail, so I shall do whatever I can to assist him."

"Even if the grail's wish could grant anything to the victor?"

Kirei finally turned to his Servant, surprised to be able to see him without his mask on. He could now see the faded-white markings on his cheek and forehead, just a shade away from his skin tone. He could also see the hazel green eyes with markings poking out. It almost caught the priest-magus off guard seeing how empathetic and sad those eyes were. Was Archer right?

"Why does my position in the war matter to you?" he asked. "You've been adamant about working with my teacher since first meeting him."

Assassin broke his gaze with a frown. "I… used to work under a man like Tohsaka, once. He too was my teacher, and showed no small amount of Pride in his actions. In his prime, he was the closest to being a true god than anyone else in the Seven Deities, or even the Eight God Generals. One might compare him to Zeus or Jupiter, ruling with an iron-charged fist."

"What happened?"

"I followed him for years, hoping to the fact that his actions would lead to the answer we both sought." Assassin's fist clenched. "I told myself it would be worth any sacrifice I made, because there could be no other way to change things. But I was wrong. _We_ were wrong, and it took the one we forced the mantle of traitor to tear down our Cause and belief right before our eyes to prove it.

"My biggest regret is that I didn't realize that sooner. Maybe things could have been different. I at least want to fight in this war for a chance to make things right. My wish would be to come to that realization sooner than later, before countless lives were lost for nothing."

Kirei wasn't sure what to think of this development. His Servant expressed a desire to win, which went against Tokiomi's own goals. On the one hand, things could have gone so much simpler if having Hassan-i-Sabbah as intended and just following orders. On the other, he found this Assassin's wish to bear more weight than his teacher's, in that it was meant to help others than just his own selfish ends. Between that and the subtle signs of shared dreams (enough to know that Assassin wasn't lying about his origins anyway), Kirei knew without a doubt he was in presence of a hero.

He turned his attention back to the house below. "It's time. You know what to do."

"I do," Assassin agreed, slipping the mask in his hand back on. His master was still set on this plan, so all he could do now was follow through. "I should be able to bypass the bounded fields, but what of the Servant?"

"Don't worry about that," his master assured. "Your skills should last you enough to hold him off anyway. Just make it convincing."

"Understood."

Kirei watched as Assassin Yasha leaped from the highway at super-human speed, falling further and faster to his intended target… the Tohsaka Manor.

* * *

Getting to the manor was easy enough for the Assassin. He once fell from the Brahmastra looming over the planet of Gaea to race to a village about to be destroyed by Gohma. Even if he was much weaker than at any point when alive, it would have been an embarrassment to his name to be unable to make this trek.

At the height of his final jump, Assassin swung his flat-formed hands in rapid motion, unleashing four ki wave attacks at separate directions. Each one hit a pedestal holding a red gemstone in the center, shattering them to pieces and nullifying the barriers. With barriers gone, Assassin landed in one of the flower beds surrounding the pedestals without worry or injury, striding to a slow walk out of it. He could make out several small animals hiding in the bushes and corners of the manor, acting in abnormal behavior and now watching his every move. None of them could tell because of his face mask, but Assassin could see each one of the familiars through his heightened senses, as well as feel their energy.

He swung a ki wave again, intent to hit the large spherical monument holding another field-generating gemstone. Almost as expected, it dispelled before hitting the target, revealing a complex sensor array of moving oblong parts and lines. They were all transparent, moving in a fixed, complicated matter meant to catch any perpetrator not agile or flexible enough to get through.

Assassin continued on, unperturbed by the obstacle ahead of him. Trained as a martial artist by two different masters, he had enough flexibility to do the Hassan predecessors proud. The tilting his body to the side, crouching low, a few speed dashes for good measure, all with careful pacing and litheness of feet. He knew that Augus and Asura would prefer a direct approach, but it was situations such as these that require more finesse and control. Something that Deus taught him quite thoroughly in his years of apprenticeship.

Finally bypassing the surrounding security circles, Assassin took a moment to gauge the crystal before reaching out to remove it. "This is too easy…" he said aloud. Surely Archer would've-

_SHINK!_

"Gah!" Assassin was fortunate to have hesitated else the javelin that destroyed the crystal would have skewered his hand as well. Instead, his fingers were singed from the rush of the launched weapon hurtled towards him like an arbalest bolt, and a few sparks were flying out from them.

"Who are you, to dare trespass in this land, _mongrel?_"

Assassin barely got a glance at a silhouette behind a golden light before more sharp weapons shot out from said light. Immediately on the defensive, Assassin blurred away from the pedestal just before it was completely destroyed by raining weapons.

_I can see now why he's called Archer…_ he thought, continuously dodging the bullets left and right as they destroyed more of the area.

"That's right!" Archer smirked. "Dance, mongrel! Dance for the amusement of your king!"

It wasn't lost to the other Servant that his "colleague" was trying very hard to kill him: possibly as revenge for their first meeting and the legitimacy of his claims. Trying to stretch out the evasion for safety was becoming harder for Assassin to do, as more stray weapons manage to nick their marks on him despite his best efforts. As it stands now, the only options Assassin could see himself surviving is if Archer let up or another Servant intervened.

Archer's pride wouldn't let him go, and the very point of this ruse was to make people avoid both their Masters. No one in their right mind would send their Servant in a middle of this crossfire. And even if they did, there was only one Heroic Spirit in Assassin's mind that could hope to stand a chance against him.

Luck wasn't on Assassin's side: a large double-bladed ax from the artillery flew down and sliced through his arm. The servant stopped running and crouched down, cradling his decapitated arm in pain. Anyone watching would have been disturbed by the fact that there were electrical wires and static discharge coming out from his hand instead of blood, either revealing a clue to his identity or eluding them with concerns of a robotic Servant.

"Is that the extent of your strength, mongrel?" Archer mocked, ceasing fire for a brief moment. "A shame, but do not falter. The grail is meant for one winner of this farce this era's magicians call a 'war', and it shall belong to the true King. Feel honored that you shall be the first to die for His victory."

Assassin could faintly make out a lance-like weapon poking out of the golden gate, almost vibrating with power. "_Is this convincing enough, Master?"_

**_"_**_Indeed,"_ Kirei answered through their mental link. "**_Assassin, by the power of this Command Spell, I order you_**_-"_

The command wasn't finished, though there was no need to make it now.

Just moments before the weapon connected, a blur of brick red jumped from the east and skid-landed in front of Assassin. With arms outstretched, he caught the projectile from behind, used the momentum to turn himself around in a full 180 spin, and then threw it back from whence it came.

Archer barely let out a shocked "What?" before getting a taste of his own medicine.

Naturally, a good number of Masters watching the fight from the sidelines were asking themselves the same question.

Assassin was speechless himself, but quickly fought it off. He'd recognize that bulky body and sloppy stance anywhere, but he was still surprised that he too would be summoned in this war with him. It was almost funny that they would be brought together just to fight again.

"Funny how you fail to kill someone before I have to save your ass, _Assassin,"_ the new Servant said, back still towards him. The reference was not lost to him, as that was exactly what happened when he eventually defected from the Seven Deities.

"You yourself are rushing into matters before thinking them through," he countered, managing to stand back up. "Then again, you always fought like a _Berserker._"

The Servant, who he knew without a doubt as Asura, gave him an alongside glance and smirk. "Actually I'm-"

"**WHO DARES STRIKE BLOOD ON THE KING OF HEROES?!"** The entire manor shook, nearly scattering the familiars in place and throwing off both Servant's footing. From above the manor, Archer stood proud yet angry at the counterattack. His armor had no damage, but his face was slightly charred from the explosion and his hair was a mess. Aside from the blow to his face, having his own _treasures_ used against him was a blow to his ego: one that Assassin believed he had coming for a _long_ time.

The third Servant, unimpressed by his swagger, marched a step forward and jerked his thumb to himself. "That would be me, Avenger! And I've come for your Master's head!"

Assassin, under the guise of his mask, blinked. "Avenger?"

* * *

Kirei, thousands of miles away from the battle but hearing from his link with Assassin, blinked. "Avenger?"

* * *

Tokiomi, in the safety of his room looking over the garden, blinked. "Avenger?"

The Tohsaka patriarch had heard that class was used by the Einzberns in the previous War. Avenger as a Servant wasn't noteworthy because he died shortly at the start of that war, but the fact he replaced that war's Berserker was. In the end, it was another desperate, failed attempt by the once-proud-now-fallen Einzbern family to win the grail. The fact that they hired the Magus Killer himself to help in this war only solidified that fact.

But now that action had repercussions. Standing before Gilgamesh was an Avenger class Servant, with stat readings that more or less equal to him. The original seven classes were powerful, and while each Servant summoned was different, their fighting styles were predictable in accordance to the class.

Sabers, considered the best Servant of all, were all-rounders and had been recorded to reach the end of the previous three wars.

Lancers were fast and agile with a long-reaching weapon, though have been rumored to have bad luck ratings.

Archers fought from a distance, were formidable scouts, and as Gilgamesh has proven, can use anything as a projectile.

Riders used powerful mounts as Noble Phantasms, which always provided an edge in battle.

Casters were magi of superior teachings and arts, back in a time when the belief in magic was strong and not hindered by "science".

Assassins were _supposed_ to be the catalyst specifically for Hassan-i-Sabbah, who specialized in covert killing for the greater good.

And Berserkers were juggernauts of superior power and little sanity, a true double-edged sword for Magi to consider just fueling them.

But there was only one record of Avenger in any Holy Grail War, and it was so short it was thought to be a glitch in the Grail's system. This Avenger already ruined their plan concerning Archer and Assassin, throwing himself in like a Berserker would but with sanity intact. He also planned to personally kill him, a Magus, when that was usually the priority of Assassin classes. To top it off, he had high stat parameters that would fit a Saber had he use of a sword.

In short, Avenger was a true wild card, as he had no predictable patterns of the other classes, for better or worse. A different Assassin was one thing, but a second coming of Avenger was an omen waiting to happen. This couldn't be let up to chance. For the sake of the grail, he had to be dealt with _now._

"**Archer**," Tokiomi spoke, invoking one of the runes of his Command Spell marks. An Absolute Command, which would power the Servant to the Master's will, whether he wants to or not. At the cost of one of three marks, the Servant could accomplish anything close to a true miracle depending on the situation… such as this dire one. **"Destroy Avenger."**

* * *

Archer flexed his arm, feeling the boost of Prana circulating in his body. "I was going to anyway, Tokiomi," he smirked. "But it is good conscience to know that we are in agreement here."

Renewed with power and confidence, Archer looked over to the two Servants standing below him, as it should be. "Hear me, Demigod! You have invoked the wrath of the King of Heroes for shame on both his person and his Master! Your fool's luck in harming the King is only that, and it's beyond your power to do anything but grovel in my presence! I feel merciful tonight, so if you were to give up quietly, I shall offer you a swift, painless death!"

Avenger winced, mentally drowning out the monologue of his opponent. "Tch, this guy's louder than Wyzen, and more obnoxious than Sergei."

"Don't get careless," Assassin warned. "Believe me; he may not look like it, but he has the power to back up that ego."

"Wouldn't be the first time I beat the shit out of a bastard who called himself 'God'," Avenger cracked his knuckles, staring intently at the still bragging Servant. "Thanks for the first attack, by the way. You both cleared a pathway to this manor and drew out the guy's Servant in one go."

If Avenger was suspicious of their plan, he didn't show it. His own agenda was on Archer and Tokiomi… which baffled Assassin. He was driven to fight him, and the only times he saw him so driven to fight were against Gohma… or against someone who personally wronged him. And he knew Gilgamesh had no role in their history. "What has Archer's Master done to earn your wrath?"

Avenger paused, body tense and stiff, his next words seething with rage. "He made his own _daughter_ suffer."

He dashed ahead for Archer before Assassin couldn't form a proper response.

Archer leered at the charging Servant with a smirk. "So you choose to die a dog's death? For a Demigod, you are such a fool to think you could bear fangs at me. Need I remind you that I-?"

"Talk too much!" Avenger finished for him, before jumping to the roof building and throwing his fist at the loudmouth's face. He took sadistic pleasure seeing the Archer's shocked face bend as he punched deep to his cheekbone.

The force of the punch sent Archer flying, forcing him to the other side of the rooftop, bouncing thrice and landing undignified with his face down. With clenched fist, Archer pushed himself upright and glared at his enemy, almost disbelieving of it. _Again_ he was shamed by the same mongrel!

"Very well," Archer grunted, hiding his now evident anger through a scowl. "If you are so insistent…" The golden light appeared before him again, larger and wider than when initially used against Assassin. "THEN DIE BY MY TREASURES!"

Avenger, sensing by no means an easy fight, brought his arms close together in concentration. Prana, or mantra as he's so used to calling it, surrounded him in a red aura, before flaring out as he extended his arms… and grew two extra pairs from his back, nearly identical in shape and form. "COME ON!"

At once, numerous weapons shot at breakneck speed, aimed at the now six-armed servant. Avenger responded by rapidly punching the air in front of him, making fist sized ki blasts at a faster pace than the weapons being fired. With concentrated hits, the fired weapons exploded prematurely before making impact. The first few weapons were downed easily this way, but larger and stronger weapons, rivaling those of legends, earned several, locked-on power hits, made when Avenger flexed his six arms at once.

But as fast and skilled as he was, he couldn't stop all the attacks. Some could hit next to him and explode at his unprotected side. Some of his spears and lances pierced through his guard and actually skewered his chest, while larger blade hit his legs. Any other attack exploded on the house roof and crumbled the floor that supported Avenger's footing. All the Servant could do was grunt and continue his ki-punching.

The bombardment stopped when the smoke of explosions obscured Archer's view. The golden Servant kept the gate open, more of a show of confidence than precaution. A few seconds later, Avenger rushed out of the smoke screaming, with rust-colored blood seeping out of his wounds and his right arms pulled back for a triple punch, aimed for his head again.

Archer physically reached into his gate and pulled out a bronze shield to block the attack. As much as it angered him to use his treasures in a means of close combat instead of his class specifics, this dog was giving him no quarter and was very much a brawler.

Briefly intercepted, Avenger rolled to the side as a few other weapons shot again. With momentum, Avenger swung again to hit the shield out of Archer's hands. Before he could follow up, he guarded with both arms to shield himself from swords and shields being fired. At the same time, Archer reached for the gate again thrust forward with an epee. Avenger caught it with two palms pressed together and pulled back, while throwing the other four fists to punch. Three of them dented harmlessly on his armor, and only one managed to his unprotected head.

A pattern formed between the fighters. Avenger would get close to score a hit before Archer's portal shot out weapons that forced him to guard, and allow Archer to draw another weapon. With the slight edge of protection, Avenger would have to get pass the new weapon before going any further less the gate would force him back. Archer had flexibility, variability, and range with this strategy, as he had no easy openings. However, Avenger was tenacious and adaptable, so his ferocious fighting had to be kept up with quick of the draw.

This stopped when Archer pulled a large metal hammer and swung it down. Avenger caught the new weapon before it fully hit, but couldn't stop the massive discharge of electricity it made all around the area.

"DIE, DEMIGOD!" The golden Servant bellowed over the roar of thunder, pushing as hard as he could on the hammer.

"YOU FIRST!" the six-armed Servant shouted back, forcing the hammer back further.

To Archer's surprise, Avenger managed to overpower him in the weapon deadlock, and hold the hammer perfectly perpendicular to the ground, and even between them. He was further surprised when the white haired Servant _head butted him_, staggering enough to let go of the hammer. With the weapon at Avenger's disposal, and before Archer could recall it, he swung it with all his might at Archer's chest plate, and the two of them were blinded by the explosion of thunder between them.

Inside his manor, Tokiomi was in a panic trying to run to safety. This was supposed to be a feint on Assassin! With the unforeseen circumstance of another Servant attacking him, his own house was caught in the crossfire. Even if he had reinforced the house barriers in forethought, they wouldn't withstand a battle between Servants, much one one of them trying to fight through. He only hoped that Archer finished the job with enough of his house intact to still be used as a base!

The garden spectators were just as nervous seeing the sudden thunder. The familiars tried to move closer to the battle, but were too scared to be killed by any of the servants, including Assassin. Assassin himself cared little for the familiars and only focused on the fight.

When the light faded, both Servants stared at one another, separated by a large hole where the explosion of the last attack went off. Avenger kept his glare intense and his stance firm, almost expecting that stupid portal to open again. Archer just stared back with an unreadable expression. He glanced briefly at his armor, which withstood the attack without even a dent, much to Avenger's annoyance.

"I see," Archer smiled. "You are a Demigod of the same class as Assassin. I could tell when I first saw you, but not the extent of your power."

The Gate of Babylon opened again, and Archer reached into it, a serene smile still on his face. Avenger tensed himself, preparing for whatever was to happen.

"You may be a hero of your own story, well known for your achievements against what mortals would declare impossible, but it is all moot to me."

Without warning, two golden-pointed chain blades shot out of the gateway and towards Avenger. He tried blasting them away but they moved with a mind of their own, dodging his attacks with startling speed as they drew closer. The chains shackled two of his arms and suspended them in the air. Several more chains followed outward, intervening Avenger's frantic escape by binding the other arms and legs and skewering his body for good measure. Before the Servant knew it, he was bound by chains that seemed to press harder against his body.

"For I was the first hero," Archer continued. "And I'm the one that sets the standards of all other heroes before me; even you, insufferable Demigod."

"Bullshit!" Avenger cursed.

Archer finally pulled his hand out, revealing a weapon unlike any other in recorded history. The grip and hand-guard were both of intricate gold and blue design as his armor, but the actual blade itself was divided into three round, revolving black gears with ominous red glowing marks. From the top of the outermost gear-part was a small spiral "point", and looked as dull as the rounded "blade" itself. Yet Archer held it so proud and confidently that he saw it as just weak enough to serve his current purpose, or something he endears as his strongest weapon.

"You could be anyone else of grand stature or humble beginnings," he said. "You could be an alien with a cape and any power at your disposal to use. You could be a traveler to parallel worlds saving them with petty aspects like 'love' and 'friendship'. You could even be a spirit so linked to legend you'd reincarnate and save a princess from the evil that threatens her kingdom. But you could never be the first ruler made a hero, the one whose very birth was considered a miracle among humans. You could never hope to be the King of Heroes!"

"Like I want to be!" Avenger snapped, flailing again in his bound chains. "You're just some bastard sitting on a dragon's hoard that you didn't even earn!"

"You're right," Archer nodded. "I _didn't_ earn my treasures. No, I _deserved_ them. I deserved every object of significance since my rule, for I was the first hero conceived in the eyes of humanity and loved for it. Any other _hero_ after me took my own treasures and used them as their own unique weapon. Such as Dáinsleif-"

A black and red sword shot out from the gate, slicing through the lower right arm of Avenger. "GAH!" The chains around that arm dispersed as it fell to the roof. No blood came from this wound, but it wasn't a natural arm to begin with.

"-Durandal-"

A peerless, silver long sword shot next, cutting his upper left shoulder away.

"-Gram-"

A white sword with a yellow guard and hilt cut through the lower left arm.

"-Houtengeki-"

A Chinese halberd destroyed the upper right arm, leaving only two natural ones left.

"-and Wailing Dark."

Avenger's eyes widened. "Wha-GAAH!"

The last weapon called was an ebon black nodachi with a yellow glow along the blade, and destroyed the shoulder binding his left arm. Like Assassin, Avenger's body was more robotic than human, as he had spark and wires coming out of his shoulder socket. However, Avenger was more concerned of the weapon's name and appearance next to him than his lost appendage. "Th-that's Augus'…"

"And it was initially my own treasure," Archer boasted. "Granted, it's hard for me to remember every single treasure in my possession, but I can trace the Noble Phantasms used by other heroic spirits to them."

The golden Servant held his sword high, and the gears all started to spin at different directions and speeds. The sound of their churning could be equivalent to an earthquake and hurricane at once.

"The actions I've accomplished in my time precede and outshine anything else the other heroes did of their fairy tales! Just as treasures are linked to their source of achievements, I'm linked to their very beings as the hero they wish to be. I'm the King of Heroes, and MY WORD IS LAW!"

* * *

Whatever was coming, it was big and going to end the fight one way or another.

Seeing, or rather sensing, a powerful light at the roof of Tohsaka manor was enough convincing for the familiars at the area to flee immediately, least the information for their masters died with them. Assassin was the only one left, watching with a mixed sense of wonder and horror.

_"Assassin, leave now,"_ Kirei said through their link.

"Master?"

_"You've played your part to the letter, and the other masters will now be convinced that Tohsaka and I are enemies, despite Avenger's interruption. But it'll be pointless if you are also destroyed in the fight, so leave now!"_

Reluctantly, Assassin nodded. Anyone could tell who the victor of this fight would be now. With one last look at the roof, he vanished to spirit form and fled as quickly as possible.

* * *

"You should feel honored to die by my blade," Archer added, his voice barely audible over the growing gale. "I deem you as one of the few pretenders worthy to face Ea's might, if nothing but the King's respect for your power." He also planned to make an example of Avenger's death: to show the rest of the magi and pretenders just how doomed their selfish desires for a wish were.

Despite being bound and injured, Avenger felt not despair but rage at his opponent's words. He glared harder at Archer, tugging his last arm on the chains that held them. "Die by your blade? Like hell… I'm going to lose to a bastard like YOU!"

Prana surged around him like an aura, and the chains holding his body trembled in the sudden burst of power. At the height of his burst, the white-haired servant spun around and snapped all the chains at once. Avenger then used this opportunity to burst forward and throw one last punch at Archer's face for the final blow.

Archer anticipated this, using the chains in the first place to hold him while Ea grew in velocity. Just as the Servant broke free, the weapon was ready for release that would surely destroy him. As the tempest grew, he drew the sword back to make a timed swing. "Farewell, Demigod! Enuma-!"

"HUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAA!"

"ELIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH!"

Sword and fist connected at the same moment, but the energy behind the former overpowered the latter. A bright, sinister light engulfed the hand, eradicating it to dust. The light continued forward to burn away Avenger's body, who felt a pain as unbearable as death itself. And all he could do was scream.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

A/N: I'll just say this now. Yep. Asura's Avenger, not Berserker. He never called himself Berserker, and didn't have time last chapter to correct Kariya on it. And YES. He's dead. Gilgamesh killed him.

Why? Because I'm actually a bit annoyed of the "change servants" stories that have people put their favorite characters in the Nasuverse and treat everyone else (especially Saber) like weaklings who jaw-drop at their feats. I'm especially put off by the number of times Gilgamesh gets killed or curb-stomped in one shot collections just show how awesome some characters are.

Don't get me wrong. Nasuverse Gilgamesh is a prick: the kind of guy you love to hate. I understand that he can be beaten as long as caught off guard before he actually gets serious, and the guy is an insufferable douche, but really, why do you think he's so full of himself to begin with? HE'S THAT STRONG, and I'm actually kind of tired of seeing him lose so suddenly to someone who is allegedly more powerful and usually more moral centered than him.

So while Asura and Yasha are here, it doesn't mean that their presence will make the story bend to their very will and make it so they win spectacularly. That's an insult to the other heroes of both history/fiction lore and their Nasuverse interpretations. After all, as Servants, all their powers are greatly reduced to what they would be when alive, compared to their original Heroic Spirit selves anyway. When you think like that, it would make sense that Asura got killed as he did, and why Gilgamesh made that boast. For better or worst, he IS the oldest known recorded fiction hero (according to the Nasuverse anyway), and while there might be some continuity error in his words (like being historically the fifth known king of Uruk instead of the first), he's still got seniority rights over the other heroes.

(besides, this isn't the first time Asura died as early as the second chapter/episode. He came around right in time for the end of the third, after all.)

Next chapter will move along other stuff... including Caster who I purposely avoided re-hashing the summoning chapter on. Don't worry, you'll see the Golden Spider soon. 'til next time.

-Vegeta the 3rd

EDIT: My fight scene was bad, considering the lack of collateral damage on the house. I changed that, but I also should point out for those concerned for Asura being nerfed in his fight with Gilgamesh, especially in comparison of achievements. Again, Servants are vessels containing limited power of Heroic Spirits like Asura and Gilgamesh based on their class. Gilgamesh has a broken Noble Phantasm so he has an edge over most other Servants. And I agree, if Asura was his real original self, he'd level the world in his rage. But that would kind of ruin the story. What's more, his strength always varied in levels in accordance to the plot of his game. He went from top dog of the God Generals to severely weakened and struggling against Gohma attackers. That quickly changed, of course, as Asura's power grows in time. He also comes back, despite death taking him down.

I'm not favoring the Nasuverse or Asura's Wrath-verse or anything. I just presented what I felt would be a legit first fight between Asura and Gilgamesh. That said, I'm not perfect and this is all up to my own interpretation, which is different from anyone else's opinion and doesn't have to be concrete or true. I'm sorry if I offended anyone on this story or battle though.


End file.
